US to help UP minimise post-harvest losses

Lucknow, Sep 24 (IANS) The US will extend support to the Uttar Pradesh government to minimise post-harvest losses in the state's agriculture produce, officials said Tuesday.

The US would also help the state farmers in growing cotton, spices and olives in Bundelkhand.

This was discussed at a meeting between Chief Minister Akhikesh Yadav and the chief agriculture negotiator in the Obama administration, Islam A. Siddiqui, Sunday. The two discussed the actual capacity and the potential of the agriculture sector in India, and decided to tap the scope of work the state offered.

It was also decided that agriculture universities on both sides would work closely, a state government official told IANS.

"The US officials mentioned some US techniques which can minimise the post-harvest losses, and invited the chief minister to visit US for a first-hand account," the official said.

The US officials has also invited officials from the agriculture department to see the mechanisation of the agriculture sector in their country. Crop planning and structural survey of agriculture farm lands in state was also discussed.